Skipper Hugo Ekitike along with a Three-Pronged Arsenal Defence – The Fantasy Premier League Squad for the Round
What number of The Reds players are you able to accommodate inside your team this week?
The Merseyside club have notched back-to-back wins , featuring a red-hot attacker in their French frontman preparing for a fixture with a struggling Wolves side that are heading towards a historically poor Premier League campaigns in history.
If you've retained some of your Africa Cup of Nations transfers , and possess the cash to upgrade by replacing the unavailable Manchester United's playmaker, then assets from Anfield players should be your top priority.
This weekly selection is constructed according to latest Fantasy Premier League prices to comply with a £100m budget, as if using a one-week wildcard.
How Did The Previous Team?
Captain Erling Haaland (32 points) , alongside the productive pair of Bournemouth's forward (10 points) and Hugo Ekitike guided the selection to a handsome 82 points – supplemented by a 10-point contribution from Antonee Robinson from the replacements.
The Fantasy Premier League Team of the Week for Matchday 18
Goalkeeper and Defence
David Raya, the Gunners, keeper, £6m – vs Brighton (H).
Arsenal's backline had a slight stumble following an injury to Gabriel, yet they've kept two shutouts over their last four matches , with nine so far with less than the campaign's midpoint gone.
Mikel Arteta's side have let in goals in all but three fixtures at the Emirates campaign. The strikes they conceded were scored by a Manchester City superstar, a wondrous effort from Richarlison and a late goal from Tolu Arokodare.
Jurrien Timber (£6.5m) & Piero Hincapie (£5.5m), the Gunners – vs Brighton (H).
It's a triple selection on the Arsenal backline.
They are the strongest defence in the game, with a clean sheet in the majority of their fixtures, they host a Brighton team that has not found the net in their last two games.
Brighton have a mere 9 goals across eight matches on the road.
The Dutch defender is a reliable pick every week , with greater attacking upside since returning to right-back.
The Ecuadorian has registered 'defcon' points in his past four appearances, which included a pair of shutouts.
Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool, £5.9m – vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (H).
Managers would love half a dozen Liverpool players this week if the rules permitted.
Gary O'Neil's team failed to score for the 10th time so far during a recent 2-0 defeat at Molineux to Brentford.
They have scored just nine strikes in total, with only a couple on the road. It represents one of the safest shutout opportunity available.
Omar Alderete, the Black Cats, £4m – vs Leeds United (H).
Regardless of Leeds United's better goalscoring upturn – including the performances of their striker – we're selecting a Sunderland clean sheet at home.
It would be their third consecutive and Alderete becoming a prime value defensive pick. Managers can select him confidently in most games, thanks to his potential for 'defcon' returns.
Midfielders
Mason Mount, Manchester United, £5.9m – vs Newcastle United (H).
Mount is expected to take on a bigger responsibility at Manchester United in the next few games, due to their Portuguese maestro being sidelined.
In their last three matches, Erik ten Hag's team boast the best expected goals (xG) in the league by a significant margin – 8.78 versus the next best Leeds United's 5.68.
They face a Newcastle United side who have been poor away from home – with just one win from seven attempts.
Mount is likely to assume many of Fernandes' creative responsibilities, especially on set-pieces, potentially play as an attacking midfielder.
Florian Wirtz, the Reds, £8.1m – vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (H).
Wirtz is on the verge of a major point return , with a home match versus the struggling Wolves representing an ideal scenario for it.
He has registered attacking returns in three of his last four games – two assists and one 'defcon' display.
In that period his chance creation stands at 10 chances, the highest of any Liverpool, while his expected goals stands at 0.88.
Morgan Rogers, Aston Villa, £7.2m – vs the Blues (A).
With 30 points in two games, Rogers' form cannot be overlooked.
He's Villa's main goal threat, capable of creating a strike from minimal space in the box.
A fixture at Chelsea could be viewed as a challenging proposition, the Birmingham club have won at that ground on two occasions in recent years.
Strikers
Hugo Ekitike (Captain), Liverpool, £8.9m – vs Wolves (H).
Given his fixture, having no competition for a starting spot, and having scored a five-goal haul in three games, the French striker earns the captaincy this week.
Erling Haaland, City, £15.1m – vs Nottingham Forest (A).
One cannot consider dropping Haaland, although with him having a tougher fixture on the road in this round, we are opting to pass over him with the captain's role.
Jarrod Bowen, West Ham United, £7.6m